Foster Carer — Self-Employed with 24/7 Support & Training

Wholistic Fostering Ltd; Dudley; On-site; Full time

Job description

Foster carers with Wholistic Fostering provide a safe, supportive family home to children and young people who cannot live with their birth families. You will work as a self‑employed carer alongside our experienced social work team, with structured training, weekly supervision, and round‑the‑clock out‑of‑hours support.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, faiths, family compositions, and walks of life. You do not need to own your home, be married, be in a relationship, or have parenting experience — what matters is that you have a spare bedroom, the time to commit to a child, and the resilience and warmth needed to make a real difference.

Foster carers receive a weekly fostering allowance covering both a professional fee for their skill and time and a maintenance element for the child's needs. Most foster carers in the UK pay little or no tax on this income, thanks to HMRC’s Qualifying Care Relief. We are an Ofsted‑registered independent fostering agency, founded in Tipton in 2013 and serving the West Midlands.

What we look for

• A spare bedroom in your home
• The right to live and work in the UK
• Age 21+ with the energy and emotional capacity to care for a child or young person
• A non‑judgemental, child‑first approach
• Willingness to attend training and work openly with social workers and other professionals

What we offer

• Competitive weekly fostering allowance (fee + child maintenance)
• Comprehensive Skills to Foster training and ongoing CPD
• A dedicated supervising social worker
• 24/7 out-of-hours support — a real person, not a call centre
• Membership of FosterTalk (independent advice and legal cover)
• Carer support groups, social events, and respite arrangements
• A small, values‑led agency where you are known by name

This is a self‑employed role. Foster carers are not employees of Wholistic Fostering — you will be approved by our independent fostering panel and registered with HMRC as self‑employed. We will guide you through every step.